Beating the smart meter bullies

Keep_pedalling

markjs419 said:

I currently have a mechanical electricity meter. Sometime between May and August 2020, it stopped recording my usage for a number of months (i.e. when I read the meter the reading was the same as the last reading I submitted 3 months earlier).

I called my supplier (SSE) and told them about this. They didn't seem too concerned and told me that someone would be in touch to arrange a replacement within the next 2 weeks, but I didn't hear from them and I didn't bother chasing them up on this. After a couple of months the meter seemed to come back to life by itself and as I write this it seems to be recording my usage normally again.

To cut a long story short, last week I had a letter from SSE telling me the meter is faulty and I must make an appointment to have a smart meter fitted. The letter was quite threatening in tone and told me that if I didn't do so they would obtain a warrant to force entry and charge me for the privilege 

I responded via email and made it clear that it was not a problem if they wanted to replace the meter, but it must be replaced with a non-smart meter.

I got a response with the usual spiel about why smart meters are wonderful, though they said they may be able to replace the meter like for like but wanted a reason.

I would have thought that the fact that I'm the bill payer and the meter is in my home should be reason enough, but what are my rights here? Any suggestions on the best response to this?

Why are you so fearful of smart meters? 

tealady

Keep_pedalling said

Why are you so fearful of smart meters? 

Puzzles me as well.
I know someone who refuses to have one but they have smart speakers all over the house and a smart phone.
Weird

[Deleted User]

If a meter is deemed end-of-life, a supplier can now fit a smart meter without the consumer’s approval. This discretion was granted to suppliers by BEIS last year.

Edit: For completeness. From the BEIS 2021 Consultation with suppliers on smart meter targets:

Quote: Only offer smart meters as standard at the point of replacement. 

Under the New and Replacement Obligation, energy suppliers are already obligated to install a smart meter when a traditional meter reaches the end of its life or is defective, unless there is good reason. The availability of traditional metering equipment is decreasing as the rollout progresses and smart metering is increasingly adopted as the default by equipment manufacturers. 

Unquote

Suppliers that still have a stock of analogue meters may, at their discretion, still fit them but they may raise a charge for doing so.

dbks

Another day, another smart meter thread

- and still the debate over whether or not they are compulsory continues.


Here is a post I made earlier this month:

You can choose not to accept an offer to have a smart meter fitted

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/smart-meters/

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/your-energy-meter/getting-a-smart-meter-installed/

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/getting-smart-meter

...

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78742814/#Comment_78742814

Ultrasonic

Keep_pedalling said:

markjs419 said:

I currently have a mechanical electricity meter. Sometime between May and August 2020, it stopped recording my usage for a number of months (i.e. when I read the meter the reading was the same as the last reading I submitted 3 months earlier).

I called my supplier (SSE) and told them about this. They didn't seem too concerned and told me that someone would be in touch to arrange a replacement within the next 2 weeks, but I didn't hear from them and I didn't bother chasing them up on this. After a couple of months the meter seemed to come back to life by itself and as I write this it seems to be recording my usage normally again.

To cut a long story short, last week I had a letter from SSE telling me the meter is faulty and I must make an appointment to have a smart meter fitted. The letter was quite threatening in tone and told me that if I didn't do so they would obtain a warrant to force entry and charge me for the privilege 

I responded via email and made it clear that it was not a problem if they wanted to replace the meter, but it must be replaced with a non-smart meter.

I got a response with the usual spiel about why smart meters are wonderful, though they said they may be able to replace the meter like for like but wanted a reason.

I would have thought that the fact that I'm the bill payer and the meter is in my home should be reason enough, but what are my rights here? Any suggestions on the best response to this?

Why are you so fearful of smart meters? 

I was wondering when somone might ask this. My main thought here is that simply allowing a smart meter to be fitted would be best for the OP, and to some degree everyone else.

MWT

dbks said:

Another day, another smart meter thread

- and still the debate over whether or not they are compulsory continues.


Here is a post I made earlier this month:

You can choose not to accept an offer to have a smart meter fitted

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/smart-meters/

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/your-energy-meter/getting-a-smart-meter-installed/

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/getting-smart-meter

...

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78742814/#Comment_78742814

The key distinction that isn't clear in all of those links is the difference between being offered a smart meter, which I agree people are fully entitled to refuse, and a meter change being required due to fault or lifespan which is a different situation.

Your Ofgem link even includes this bit:

Again, it could be clearer, those are two separate points, the offer can be declined, but a required replacement isn't an offer.

The BEIS website makes it clearer...

[Deleted User]

As I said above, there really is no debate to be had. The OP’s situation clearly fits into the paragraph 1 category and suppliers have a legal right of entry under The Electricity and Gas Acts to make the change.

Consumers who do agree to have smart meters may find that they will be subject to increased marketing and higher energy prices as the rollout completion date approaches. 

I well recall a friend who took a stance when analogue TV was turned off. Her determination not to have a STB lasted about 10 days! 

oliverbrown

Dolor said:

I well recall a friend who took a stance when analogue TV was turned off. Her determination not to have a STB lasted about 10 days! 

Somewhat different, they aren't modifying gas and electricity to be incompatible with traditional meters. 

[Deleted User]

oliverbrown said:

Dolor said:

I well recall a friend who took a stance when analogue TV was turned off. Her determination not to have a STB lasted about 10 days! 

Somewhat different, they aren't modifying gas and electricity to be incompatible with traditional meters. 

 If suppliers are instructed by Ofgem not to fit analogue meters from 2026 onwards (which in my view is likely), then the only option that a consumer has when their meter needs to be replaced is to go off supply. 

wild666

markjs419 said:

I currently have a mechanical electricity meter. Sometime between May and August 2020, it stopped recording my usage for a number of months (i.e. when I read the meter the reading was the same as the last reading I submitted 3 months earlier).

I called my supplier (SSE) and told them about this. They didn't seem too concerned and told me that someone would be in touch to arrange a replacement within the next 2 weeks, but I didn't hear from them and I didn't bother chasing them up on this. After a couple of months the meter seemed to come back to life by itself and as I write this it seems to be recording my usage normally again.

To cut a long story short, last week I had a letter from SSE telling me the meter is faulty and I must make an appointment to have a smart meter fitted. The letter was quite threatening in tone and told me that if I didn't do so they would obtain a warrant to force entry and charge me for the privilege 

I responded via email and made it clear that it was not a problem if they wanted to replace the meter, but it must be replaced with a non-smart meter.

I got a response with the usual spiel about why smart meters are wonderful, though they said they may be able to replace the meter like for like but wanted a reason.

I would have thought that the fact that I'm the bill payer and the meter is in my home should be reason enough, but what are my rights here? Any suggestions on the best response to this?

A smart meter is the same as the old analogue meters only the readings for electric are in kWh, so no conversions needed, and you get an IHD (in home display). You might get cheaper tariffs with the smart meter but at the moment the cheapest tariff is the SVR (standard variable rate). 
The only way to use less is by turning appliances off at the socket rather than putting the appliance into standby mode. Appliances manuals claim to use as little as 0.5 W per hour but in reality they use a lot more. my 32" PC monitor uses over 48 W per hour in standby mode, it may drop but that is over 1 kWh per day when in standby mode. Imaging a large 65" to 80" TV being left in standby mode for days without any live as shown programs being watched!